Your Stateroom

We want you to be as comfortable as possible during your voyage with us. Our stewarding team will do their best to ensure the highest possible standards of cleanliness and try to make you as much at home as possible. Please do not hesitate to ask if you require anything at all and please let us know if you are not satisfied with any aspect of our care of you. Note that cabins do not have mini bars, TVs or phones.

Air-conditioning

Your cabin has its own air-conditioning unit, which can be adjusted for your comfort. We recommend you do not over- cool your cabin as the sudden change from the outside temperature to a chilled cabin can bring on colds, respiratory illnesses and even stomach upsets. When you go out, we recommend you turn the setting to 'Lo Cool', set at about 4, and then when you return you can readjust the temperature to your preference without having to wait for cool air. At night you may prefer to use the fan only, and have the windows open. Insect netting covers the windows to enable you to do this. Please do not leave your air-conditioner on with the window open - this results in energy loss (the equivalent of switching on the heating and opening the windows in a cold country!)

Insect Precautions

External doors and the gauze windows should be kept closed at all times -day and night. At night, if on deck or going ashore make sure to rub ankles and other exposed parts with repellent. However, outside urban areas mosquito is less of a problem than other forms of insect life. Make sure to switch off lights when leaving your cabin so as not to lure them in. Between January and March insects, but not mosquito, can be a real problem and invade the ship. Fortunately these are relatively harmless. Mosquito on the river, which is fast flowing, are rarely to be seen.

Footwear

Slippers are provided for your comfort on board the vessel. When ashore guests should use easily removable footwear for visiting Buddhist sites. At certain times the river banks and paths used can be muddy or very dusty and we ask you to remove your footwear when returning on board so that we can clean your shoes for you and return them to you later. This saves making a real mess of our beautiful teak decks.

Water and Towels

The ship's water supply comes from the river after passing through a sterilisation plant. This water is suitable for washing and brushing teeth but should not be drunk. Bottled mineral water is provided for drinking, free of charge. To save water and reduce detergent use we will only change towels daily if they are placed on the floor. We have copious supplies of hot water but you may have to run the water for two minutes before it gets hot.

Laundry

A laundry bag is provided for your laundry needs, and a laundry list is to be found in the rattan folder by your bed. Laundry is collected each morning when your room is made up and will be returned to you by the following day. Please leave items in the bag provided and mark up the list. The charges will go on your bill in US$. If there is an item that you do not wish ironed please advise us.

Blankets

Blankets are to be found in the drawer or closet under your bed. These may be needed in the Cool Season when night time temperatures can drop to below 15°C.

Security

In the countries in which we operate tourists are rarely targets for theft and when sailing most of passengers do not bother to lock their doors. When in port a 24 hour watch is kept on the gangplank controlling access to the ship but please then keep your deck door locked when not in use and at night. All cabins have a combination type safe - please use a number you can remember like the last 4 digits of your phone number or your date of birth. The company cannot be held liable for loss of money, jewelry or other valuable items from the ship or whilst on an excursion ashore during a voyage. In the Conditions of Carriage you are required to have taken personal travel insurance cover this.

Cabin Mini Safes

All cabins have been fitted with European made mini-safes.

Morning Call

If you would like to be woken up at any time please advise the Office the night before.

Hairdryers

Hairdryers are installed in all cabins on the Mekong and available on request from the Purser in Myanmar.

Electricity

230 volts two round pin type as found in Continental Europe - we carry adapters for other types of plug you might bring (i.e. UK ones).

GSM Phones

GSM phones work for nearly all parts of the Mekong where we travel with the exception of in Cambodia for a short section downstream of Kampong Cham and in the midst of the Tonle lake. Other places have excellent coverage. They do not work at all in Burma. (Please do not declare your mobile to customs at the airport as they will then have to hold it for the duration of your visit and it is a nightmare to get it back when you leave!)

No Go Areas

These areas are clearly indicated as 'Crew Only'. We ask you to respect these areas as the crew may be working there and your safety can not be guaranteed. These areas include: Main Deck bow area, galley, engine rooms, crew accommodation, gang ways aft of Sun Deck. Crew have been instructed to escort any unauthorised persons from these areas and make a report to the Captain.

Ship's Shop, Post Cards and Stamps

We have a small boutique on board with a collection of locally made handicrafts. Post Cards and stamps are also from the Ship's Shop. Outside of the tourist centres of Saigon, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, opportunities to buy postcards are virtually non-existent.

Bar and Dining Room and Shop Bills

You will be asked to sign a bill for all items ordered and you will be presented with the account on the last day aboard.

Time

Vietnam and Cambodian 6 hours ahead of GMT and 5 hours ahead of European time in the summer time, in winter, please add 1 hour. For Myanmar 5 hrs 30m mins ahead of summer time and 6 hrs 30 mins ahead of GMT.

Meals on board

Breakfast and lunch are buffets and dinner is served at the tables with a table d'hôte selection of dishes. We offer a mixture of Asian and Western cuisine and there are always vegetarian dishes offered. Special diets may be catered for with advance notification and agreement. We have an expatriate executive chef supported by Vietnamese chefs to ensure good standards and variety. Our policy is to use as much locally purchased produce as possible to help the economies of the villages and towns we stop at. We try and avoid imported products and give our passengers a real taste of the lands through which they pass. Exotic fruit, fresh organic vegetables, locally caught fish and prawns are the preference of most of our passengers.

Tea and coffee and Mineral Water

Complimentary tea and coffee are available from 6 a.m. on the Sun Deck for throughout the day. Mineral water (local) is provided in all cabins daily. Additional bottles are available on request. Water is provided at all meals.

Food Safety and Hygiene

Bottled water is used for cooking and food preparation onboard. Off the vessel never accept ice in drinks and avoid ice creams, crushed sugar cane, salads and the skins of fruits.

E-mail on Board on Mekong Only

We now have this facility whilst on the Cambodia side:
Mekong Pandaw 012333158@mobitel.com.kh
Tonle Pandaw 012333159@mobitel.com.kh
We do not have internet access on board. Ships in Myanmar have no on board email facility.